In a game of 10 kicks at goal it was the visitors’ Callum Bennett who came up with the goods as he landed two shots to clinch a 6-3 victory for the team that finished third last season some 17 points below the champions.
Bennett’s first strike came four minutes before the break to give his side a slender 3-0 interval lead, but that was cut back by a home penalty four minutes into the second half. Bennett struck again in the 69th minute after missing the mark twice in the second half and that is how it remained.
The two promoted sides, Denbigh and Cobra, both notched superb home wins. Last season’s second division champions, Denbigh, were 16-11 victors over Dolgellau, while Cobra survived a late comeback by Caernarvon to triumph 27-24.
It looked as though Dolgellau were going to escape with a share of the points after an Ian Jones Morris try and two penalties from Gerwyn Thomas had made it 11-11 going into the closing stages. Scrum half Jamie Winning had crossed for a second half try for the home side and Dan O’Sullivan had kicked a penalty in each half.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man and a push over try from No 8 Dan Burke clinched victory in the last minute to give Denbigh the perfect start to their new campaign in the top flight.
Scrum half Alwyn Williams was the hero for Cobra as he bagged two tries, three conversions and two penalties for a match tally of 22 points. The home side’s other try came from flanker Toby Twigg.
Cobra led 24-5 at the break and seemed to be in complete control, but a major second half revival from Caernarfon. Which included three tires, saw them pick up two bonus points.
Pwllheli were left dreaming of what might have been after their second half fightback ended with a last gasp penalty to win the game hitting the underside of the bar. Trailing 14-0 at half-time at Bala they matched the homes side’s two tries as they cut the gap to two points.
Llangefni won the battle of the two relegated teams in their first outing in Division Two North, beating Mold 31-24. Both teams scored four tries to pick up a bonus point and there were big wins on the road form Machynlleth, 43-13 at Newtown, and Llandudno, 51-17 at Rhyl, to also take the extra point for scoring four or more tries.
Abergele made it a hat-trick of away wins in the division, triumphing 17-14 at Wrexham, while Colwyn Bay won 25-11 at home against Shotton Steel. In Division Three North, there was an encouraging return to action for Benllech, who had tries from Paul Williams, Sean Williams, James Jones and Tomos Glyn to thank for their 28-8 bonus point win at home over Porthmadog, while Bangor started with a bang with a 24-14 home win over Llangollen.
